Arizona Cardinals bottom of list of teams to win first title
The Arizona Cardinals have not won a Super Bowl yet. They are one of 12 franchises who have not hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
And unsurprisingly, of the 12 teams who have not yet won one, they are the least likely to do it this season, writes NFL.com’s Eric Edholm.
At the bottom are the Cardinals. There’s no clear-cut long-term option at quarterback right now — unless you consider third-round pick Carson Beck to be that — and possible starter Jacoby Brissett remains at odds with the team over his contract. Throw in what was an underachieving defense last season, a conundrum in Marvin Harrison Jr. and a surprisingly old roster, along with playing in the gauntlet that is the NFC West, and you can begin to imagine the chore that new head coach Mike LaFleur faces in the desert.
It’s not a completely lost cause, however. If all that talent on defense comes together, Arizona could have a fairly competent unit, especially with a fierce group up front (depending on whether or not it trades Josh Sweat). The secondary also looks like it could be pretty good. Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love should give the offense a boost, Trey McBride is a certifiable stud, and it’s far too soon to give up on Harrison, who’s still just 23 years old.
But with QB questions, offensive line concerns and an absolutely brutal schedule, this does not have the look of a team that’s a few pieces away from a title run. Identifying the right quarterback this season or next offseason is a crucial goal for an organization that hasn’t been a serious contender for more than a decade.
At the bottom are the Cardinals. There’s no clear-cut long-term option at quarterback right now — unless you consider third-round pick Carson Beck to be that — and possible starter Jacoby Brissett remains at odds with the team over his contract. Throw in what was an underachieving defense last season, a conundrum in Marvin Harrison Jr. and a surprisingly old roster, along with playing in the gauntlet that is the NFC West, and you can begin to imagine the chore that new head coach Mike LaFleur faces in the desert.
It’s not a completely lost cause, however. If all that talent on defense comes together, Arizona could have a fairly competent unit, especially with a fierce group up front (depending on whether or not it trades Josh Sweat). The secondary also looks like it could be pretty good. Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love should give the offense a boost, Trey McBride is a certifiable stud, and it’s far too soon to give up on Harrison, who’s still just 23 years old.
But with QB questions, offensive line concerns and an absolutely brutal schedule, this does not have the look of a team that’s a few pieces away from a title run. Identifying the right quarterback this season or next offseason is a crucial goal for an organization that hasn’t been a serious contender for more than a decade.
The Cardinals are considered to be the worst team in the league. They are projected to have the fewest wins. They have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the league, and they play in a nearly impossible division with one of the toughest schedules in the league.
The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions are at the top of this list. They are both real contenders this coming season.
The Cardinals aren’t even close, but Cardinals fans already know that.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.